Diffuser for a component of a respiratory therapy system

Abstract

A mask assembly for respiratory therapy, which includes a vent for exhausting gas flow from an interior of the mask assembly. The vent includes at least one vent hole and a diffuser material defining a diffusing area sufficient to cover the vent hole and having a periphery. A region of the diffusing area of the diffuser material includes a localised joint region in which multiple fibres of the diffuser material are bonded or interlocked together. The location of the localised joint region is offset from the vent hole. In further embodiments, the shape of the diffusing material matches the shape of a vent hole array, or has other properties related to the vent hole array or the shape or other features of the vent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mask assembly for respiratory therapy, comprising:
 a mask frame configured to be connected to a headgear;   a vent for exhausting gas flow, the vent comprising:
 a) at least two vent holes spaced apart from each other; 
 b) a support rib configured to protrude from a surface of the vent; and 
   a diffuser comprising diffuser material defining a diffusing area sufficient to cover the at least two vent holes, the diffuser having a periphery;   wherein a region of the diffuser material is supported by the support rib, which serves to space at least part of the diffuser material from the surface of the vent to form an auxiliary vent passage between the surface of the vent and the diffuser material, the auxiliary vent passage being in communication with both an interior of the mask assembly and an ambient environment; and   wherein the vent is recessed into the mask frame to define a recessed region in which the diffuser is inserted, such that an outer surface of the diffuser is flush with an outer surface of the mask frame.   
     
     
         2 . The mask assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the vent defines a generally trapezoidal shape, when viewed from the front of the vent along an axis of the vent holes, that comprises a base, a top opposite the base, and two inclined, opposed sides, wherein the base is wider than the top, and wherein the two inclined, opposed sides are inclined toward the top. 
     
     
         3 . The mask assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mask assembly comprises an inlet aperture having a central axis, the mask assembly comprising a central plane, wherein a longitudinal axis of the auxiliary vent passage is orthogonal to the central axis of the inlet aperture, and aligned with the central plane. 
     
     
         4 . The mask assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the support rib is connected to the vent by an overmoulded connection that joins fibres of the diffuser and provides a spacer between the vent and the diffuser. 
     
     
         5 . The mask assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary vent passage comprises an outlet, the outlet being provided at or near a top of the vent. 
     
     
         6 . The mask assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a direction of gases flow through the auxiliary vent passage is substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis or a vertical central plane of the vent. 
     
     
         7 . The mask assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the vent comprises at least one vent hole array. 
     
     
         8 . The mask assembly of  claim 7 , wherein one vent hole array of the at least one vent hole array has a shape when viewed in a direction substantially along an axis of at least one vent hole of the one vent hole array, wherein the shape comprises a pair of sides which incline toward one another, a top, and a base;
 wherein any one or more of the pair of sides, the top, or the base is substantially straight or includes a straight portion, and/or wherein any one or more of the pair of sides, the top, or the base is substantially arcuate or includes an arcuate portion.   
     
     
         9 . The mask assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising an inlet aperture having a central axis, the mask assembly comprising a central plane, wherein a longitudinal axis of the auxiliary vent passage is orthogonal to the central axis of the inlet aperture and is aligned with the central plane, wherein the base of the one vent hole array is arcuate and follows a curve of the inlet aperture. 
     
     
         10 . The mask assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one vent hole array comprises five to fifteen vent holes, wherein the vent holes are arranged in a plurality of rows. 
     
     
         11 . The mask assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the support rib is positioned between vent holes such that there is at least one vent hole above the support rib, and at least one vent hole below the support rib when the mask assembly is viewed from the front. 
     
     
         12 . The mask assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mask assembly comprises an inlet aperture, wherein a totality of vent holes of the mask assembly, which comprises the at least two vent holes, is positioned above the inlet aperture when the mask assembly is viewed from the front. 
     
     
         13 . The mask assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the diffuser material is attached to a diffuser frame, the diffuser frame configured to be attached to the mask frame. 
     
     
         14 . The mask assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the diffuser material is permanently attached to the diffuser frame by an overmoulded connection. 
     
     
         15 . The mask assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the vent comprises at least one vent hole array, wherein the diffuser frame substantially surrounds a periphery of the at least one vent hole array, and is spaced from the support rib when the mask assembly is viewed from the front. 
     
     
         16 . The mask assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the support rib is positioned in between vent holes of one or more of the at least one vent hole array, the vent holes being positioned between the diffuser frame and the support rib. 
     
     
         17 . The mask assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the diffuser frame comprises a resiliently deformable region that can be resiliently deformed to remove or release the diffuser from the vent;
 wherein the resiliently deformable region comprises a raised lip or tab in a discrete region of the diffuser frame;   wherein an underside of the raised lip or tab is spaced from a surface of the vent; and   wherein the raised lip or tab is resiliently deformable such that the raised lip or tab can be elastically deformed towards or away from the auxiliary vent passage to remove or release the diffuser from the vent.   
     
     
         18 . The mask assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the raised lip or tab is a first raised lip or tab, the diffuser frame further comprising a second raised lip or tab, each of the first raised lip or tab and the second raised lip or tab being positioned at a respective side margin of the diffuser frame. 
     
     
         19 . The mask assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the mask assembly is a full face mask configured to seal around both a mouth and a nose of a patient.